The Best Hangover Prevention Remedy Could Be... Asian Pears?

Boozehounds, rejoice! A new study has found that Asian pears are not only good for you; juice from the humble fruits could also lower your blood alcohol levels and prevent hangovers, according to Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

Drinking 220ml of Korean—also known as Asian—pear juice before consuming alcohol will "significantly reduce" the drinker's chances of getting a hangover later on, according to Professor Manny Noakes, the project's lead researcher.

"There may be several ways by which pears could prevent hangovers," Noakes said in a Q&A on the subject for CSIRO's website. "It appears that the factors in Korean pears act on the key enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to speed up alcohol metabolism and elimination or inhibition of alcohol absorption. In particular, reductions were seen in blood acetaldehyde levels, the toxic metabolic thought to be responsible for the hangover symptoms, with pear juice consumption."

But be warned: You have to drink the pear juice before you consume the alcohol. Per Noakes, "there is no evidence that you can consume pears after drinking and avoid a hangover."

Of course, the only surefire way to avoid a hangover is to steer clear of alcohol altogether. But as for preventative measures, drinking Asian pear juice is a pretty close second.